1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus that captures an image from a sheet medium while conveying the medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of an image reading apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-343668, which captures an image-recorded surface of a conveyed sheet medium with an image recorded thereon while conveying the sheet medium.
The image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-343668 has a charger that is exposed to a conveying path through which the sheet medium is conveyed, and that is located more upstream in a conveying direction than an imaging position at which an image capturing means captures the image from the image-recorded surface of the medium being conveyed. When charged, the charger attracts foreign matter such as paper powder or dust present on the conveying path by an electrically attractive force. Therefore, the foreign matter such as paper powder or dust present on the conveying path is removed at a position upstream of the imaging position in the conveying direction. Thus, it is possible to prevent the foreign matter such as paper powder or dust from being stuck onto the image capturing means.
However, in the image reading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-343668, because the charger is exposed to the conveying path, if the charger contacts the sheet medium after the foreign matter such as paper powder or dust present on the conveying path has been adhered to the charger, the adhered foreign matter such as paper powder or dust may be scattered off from the charging member.